Fire officers welcome new smoke alarm legislation following death of South Yorkshire toddler

Libby-Jayne Hornsby, who has tragically died following a house fire in Conisbrough.

Published:14:29Wednesday 11 March 2015

South Yorkshire fire officers have welcomed the announcement that the government plans to introduce new legislation on smoke alarms in rented properties ahead of the General Election.

They called for new laws requiring smoke alarms to be fitted in all privately rented homes, following the death of child in Conisbrough.

Libby-Jayne Hornsby, aged two, died after a fire at a rented property on Don Street in October 2013.

A boy started the fire while playing with a disposable lighter he found.

Fire investigators said there was no evidence of working smoke alarms in the property, an inquest heard last year.

Phil Shillito, of South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said: “The lack of legislation requiring smoke alarms to be fitted in privately rented properties was highlighted at Libby’s inquest.

“Although we will never know for sure if smoke alarms would have made a difference at that incident, fire services nationally have been campaigning on this critical issue for some time, so it’s excellent that all that hard work has paid off.”

Legislation will be laid before parliament before the end of this parliamentary session.